


First Words

by IPaige



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Deaf Character, F/M, Fluff, One-Shot, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 02:43:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10178930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IPaige/pseuds/IPaige
Summary: Bellamy's always been obsessed with first words, the first words in books, the first words people say to him. But after meeting Clarke, he mostly becomes obsessed with the idea of what the first words he hears could be and if Clarke will be the one to say them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay first of all, I apologise for any incorrect information concerning being deaf or cochlear implants. I have no first hand knowledge about the topics and what little I do know is based on very limited research. Hopefully, no one is offended :)
> 
> Let me know what you think :)

**First Words**

 

First words have always been important to Bellamy, when his walking around a bookstore, it’s not the cover that catches his eye, or the title, not even author’s names. (Not that Bellamy doesn’t have favorite authors, he does. It’s just not what draws him to read books). Sure each of these things help Bellamy decide which book to pick up, but it’s the first few words he reads that ultimately decide whether his going to read the book or not.

 

Which is why Bellamy normally takes so long to choose his books, often picking up book after book, either reading the first few words, or when his feeling a little cheeky flicking to the middle of the text and reading a few words from there.

 

This can sometimes be a little painful though, because he either likes the few words he read and ends up buying the book. Or is uninterested and yet his pathological need to finish things makes him wants to read it anyway. Which is why flicking to the middle of the book is reserved for books he knows his going to love. For books he can feel in his bones he _really_ wants to read. Which makes those first words so much more meaningful… well at least for him anyway.

 

First words are what grab you and pull you into the book, you either immediately enjoy them or lose interest. The same can be said for people; Bellamy can remember the first words he heard from each of his close friends.

 

They were an insight into the actual person; the first words people normally say to (or about) Bellamy can be quite biting. Normally because they don’t realize he actually knows what their saying.

 

Having been profoundly deaf to the point where he was pronounced legally deaf, due to a head injury when he was only 4, Bellamy’s used to people talking about him as if wasn’t there. Because there’s no way the deaf guy can understand what you’re saying, right?

 

Lip reading came in handy for picking out which people Bellamy wished to associate with.

 

It’s the first words, you can always tell a person’s character by their first words. Just like books.

 

Despite his obsession with first words, Bellamy’s never really thought much about what first words he’d like to _hear_ , if he ever did hear again.

 

Sure, there were a few fleeting moments throughout his life, especially when he was younger, when he used to think about hearing Octavia’s voice.

 

About hearing his friends when they were all hanging out, but the thoughts were fleeting and insignificant. Easily dismissed until he met _her._

Bellamy had met Clarke, funnily enough, in a bookstore.

 

Completely involved in the novel he’d just picked up, Bellamy had decided to treat himself, opening to the middle of the book. Where his eyes were immediately drawn to an intricate and sophisticated sentence, about Roman gods. Bellamy knew he’d be buying this book.

 

But his thoughts were literally knocked from his mind when he collided with a young woman. Her body pushing him from his position with her own petite body, she’d almost bowled him over in her attempt to climb the shelves and reach a book well above them.

 

Bellamy righted her carefully and expected a quick apology and embarrassment on her part before she made a hasty exit. Instead he watched her frown, mumble something he couldn’t make out and then begin to climb the shelves again.

 

Bellamy crossed his arms and stepped back to watch her second attempt at climbing and thus also ensure he was out of the fall zone.

 

She was almost at her target, hand reaching forth to grab a copy of the book seated on the top shelf, when she jolted and turned to look behind them.

 

Bellamy turned too to see what had captured her attention. Only to find a young employee red faced and yelling, Bellamy focused on his lips attempting to understand, so engrossed in the task that by the time Bellamy realized his over exaggerated mouth was screaming at them to leave, a security guard was already plucking the book from his hands and ushering him towards the exit.

 

The petite blonde not far behind him.

 

Once outside she stood next to him as they both watched the security guard shut the door, before she turned to face him. A bright blush moving across her cheeks and an apologetic look on her face, Bellamy found himself drawn to her bright blue eyes. So enraptured and captivated by them that Bellamy lost his focus and was unable to focus enough to notice she had spoken and he’d completely missed it.

 

Feeling his own blush heat up his cheeks, for the first time in a long time Bellamy was embarrassed about being deaf. Merely for the fact that there was a pretty young blonde, smiling up at him waiting for his response and he couldn’t for the life of him even begin to know what she had said or how to respond.

 

At his lack of response she frowned, Bellamy’s eyes immediately moving to ensure that this time he would know what she was saying. But his eyes caught on the small spot just above her lip, before shaking himself out and moving back down to watch her lips and catch the end of her sentence.

 

“- talk to them.”

 

Bellamy’s still lost and his never wanted to hear more, just so he can hear how _she_ sounds.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m deaf.” Rubbing at the back of his next, Bellamy continues. “Can you say that again?”

 

To further his point, Bellamy signs with his hands.

 

This normally results in awkward looks, but instead she smiles again. “Sorry for getting you kicked out, I can try to explain the situation to them and explain you weren’t with me”

 

Surprisingly she doesn’t over exaggerate her words to compensate for his lack of hearing, or slow down her speech for him, but instead simply repeats herself and smiles gently at him again.

 

It’s perfect, she’s perfect and Bellamy could watch her smile all day.

 

But his also never wanted to hear more.

 

 

-

 

 

Wanting to hear becomes a pretty common feeling when Clarke’s around.

 

She’d slipped into his life without much hassle, when he’d politely declined her offer about the bookstore; she’d demanded that he come across the street to the coffee shop with a fierce look on her face. _“I need to apologize somehow.”_

They’d ended up talking for over an hour, before she’d blushed and begun to stutter slightly. Bellamy was good at reading lips but struggled at times, which is why majority of his friends had learnt sign language. But watching the woman in front of him stumble over her words, he found himself once again just wishing he could hear.

 

She seemed to notice his intense gaze aimed at her lips and the way his eyes are scrunched up in concentration must have given away his internal struggle. Because she was shaking out her head and smiling with a determined look on her face.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

Smiling brightly, Bellamy watched the flush move up her chest towards her face. Understanding her embarrassment now. His lack of response prompted her to continue.

 

“I just forgot to ask before, sorry.”  
  
She seemed to wince slightly at the end of her sentence, and Bellamy once again wished he could hear, just for a moment, in only to hear the slight change in pitch that would have taken over her tone at her wince.

 

“Bellamy.”

 

But it was only when she mouthed his name and smiled that the small wish become an ache.

 

God, how he wanted to hear Clarke say his name.

 

 

-

 

 

Spending time with Clarke the ache Bellamy felt become very consistent, but Bellamy dealt with it.

 

But more then once he thought about seeing his Doctor, to see if the risks had changed. If the chances of a cochlear implant working for him had changed, but it was stupid to take such a big risk when the chances of it working were minimal.

 

From day one, Bellamy had been told that the damage to his inner ear was extensive, that the chances of a cochlear implant working were minimal. Adding in the expenses and emotional impact a failure could cause, Bellamy hadn’t ever felt it worth the risk. He’d always been happy with his way of life anyway, why change it now.

 

Surrounded by all his friends, everyone looked happy and bright. But it was Clarke that held his attention, her hair flowing down her back in big, loose waves. Her eyes were lively and wild, dashing around the room to focus on the many people that craved her attention.

 

Each of his friends had taken to Clarke with a ferocious velocity, each of them grabbing at her attention and seeming to crave anytime her focus was spent on them.

 

They were just like him.

 

Except Bellamy knew that their attention was also taking in details, testing Clarke to see if she was worthy. She may have past their friend test, but she had yet to past the one they had for him.

 

He was more then capable of taking care of himself. He knew it. They knew it too.

 

But all the same they cared for him, felt he needed a greater support then most.

 

Miller made a point of walking straight towards him, in order to gain his attention.

 

_I like her._

Miller used his hands to sign, but kept his body between Bellamy and the others to ensure that what he was saying was just between them.

 

_Not as much as you do. Obviously._

Bellamy frowned at that wording, “What do you mean?”

 

Miller’s head turned quickly then and peaking over shoulder, Bellamy noticed he had drawn everyone’s attention. His voice unintentionally louder then anyone expected.

 

Thankfully this wasn’t the first time Bellamy had unwittingly spoken too loud, as such everyone withdrew their attention and returned to their conversations, except for Clarke who smiled brightly and waved shyly before snapping back towards the others to face their probing questions.

 

Miller had to forcefully shake him before he returned his attention to Miller, before he could speak, Bellamy begun.

 

_What does she sound like?_

Miller grimaced slightly, unsure of how to respond.

 

He was waiting so long; he’d begun to believe the conversation was over and that he’d never know. But then Miller’s hands were moving fast and quick, as if unsure or awkward about what he was saying.

 

_Husky and strong. It’s nice._

There was beat as Miller stopped signing as Bellamy processed the information, _but she sounds different when she talks to you. Softer._

Bellamy frowned slightly, not really understanding what Miller meant. A part of him wishing he hadn’t asked because now he just wanted to hear her voice for himself once again. To understand what Miller meant when he said ‘softer.’

 

 

-

 

 

Clarke had her head lolled to the side, leaning into his neck. He couldn’t hear or see her laugh but he felt the movements against his neck.

 

Bellamy enjoyed the slight jolting every time she giggled; it made her hair tickle his neck and her breath huff warmly alongside his neck.

 

The TV continued to run in the background, the light playing across the darkness within the living room. But Bellamy took no notice, even staring straight at the screen. Bellamy was unable to comprehend what they were watching. The white letters at the bottom of the screen disappearing and blurring into the image behind them, Clarke overtook his entire being, pulling all his focus towards her whenever she was around.

 

So lost in her warmth, Bellamy failed to notice when the movie had ended. The credits finished and the screen now stuck in a constant replay of the DVD menu.

 

Bellamy gently removed his arm from around Clarke, whose body still lay limply against his side.

 

She turned quickly to face him head on, placing herself directly in front of him.

 

“If I do something, will you be mad?”

 

Frowning at her odd question, Bellamy softly shook his head.

 

Clarke looked down towards her lap, breathing deeply, “you can do this, you can do this.”

 

Bellamy wandered if she knew she was even saying the words, reaching forth to grab at her chin, Bellamy tilted her head upwards to face his, so he had a better visual of her lips and what she was saying.

 

It was as he was pulling his hand back from her chin, that she grabbed at it tightly and held his hand in place. Her eyes wide and unsure of her own actions, but then she was not just holding his hand, but pulling him towards her instead.

 

Until her hands found his cheeks and her lips were on his.

 

Words like ‘soft’ and ‘husky’ rattled around his brain, he couldn’t hear her but holding her like this he could almost _feel_ and _taste_ the way words would have sounded passing through her lips.

-

_I’m in love with you…_

Bellamy watched her hands, shock reverberating through his entire being. Clarke stood in front of the full-length mirror in her apartment, her hands moving in front of her in quick and sure movements as if she’d practiced them greatly until perfected.

 

Bellamy’s bag dropped to the ground, Clarke turning quickly towards him, a deep blush moving up her chest as her hands dropped limply to her sides.

 

“Hi…”  


“What were you doing?” Bellamy stood ramrod straight, his body stuck to the floor beneath his feet. The door to the apartment still open, Clarke’s eyes moved between him and the open doorway.

 

Sensing her insecurity Bellamy moved inward, shutting the door as he did so.

 

Clarke came towards him; Bellamy found his eyes rushing forth between her hands and her face. Begging her to say the words he’d thought he’d seen.

 

She seemed to stutter over her words, he was completely unable to understand what she was saying. There were small tears slipping from eyes, she swiped them away before reaching for his hands.

 

They were slightly slick from her tears and, Bellamy frowned, his own sweat.

 

“Can you say it?”  
  
Clarke flushed again, “say what?”

 

Bellamy smiled at her coyness, pointing towards where she stood before the mirror. “What you were practicing? I’m assuming it was for me, unless there’s another man in your life who uses sign language.” He trailed off, as if the thought alone angered him.  

 

Her hands came up between them, the movements beginning before Bellamy took a step closer and Clarke faltered. Before she could continue, Bellamy grabbed at her hands.

 

“Can you say it?”

 

A baffled expression flashed across her face, as she begun to talk Bellamy zeroed in on lips. “But I thought that –“ she trailed off, her eyes taking in his hard and determined expression.

“I love you.”

 

It was perfect and wonderful, and Bellamy decided right then and there, that they were the first words he’d want to hear, if he could.

 

 

-

 

 

Later that night, they were wrapped around each other, Clarke’s body-heat almost scorching him, her hand gently grazing his chest.

 

His head was tipped back, with his eyes closed when he felt her gently run her finger tips across his chin, drawing his attention back down towards her.

 

“Are you going to say it back?”  
  
Bellamy grimaced, and Clarke stilled in his arms, seeming to take his expression as a negative. Before she could begin to pull away from him, Bellamy tugged her closer. “I thought I’d said it before.” He said as way of explanation, “I love you Clarke Griffin.”

 

Her smile could have spilt her face in half, rolling until her body lay beneath his. “Now you say it.” Gripping her hips, Clarke giggled as Bellamy tickled her sides until she finally relented and begun repeating the words again and again. Bellamy’s eyes were glues to her lips, soft and plump from his kisses, stained pink with her smudged lipstick.

 

“I love you…”

 

Prefect words.

 

 

-

 

 

Bellamy frowned at the absurd amount of pages in front of him, his eyes scanning the many minor details he obviously missed when he first thought about this.

 

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Bellamy flicked back to the index page of the first booklet.

 

  1. Before surgery
  2. During Surgery
  3. After Surgery
  4. How to receive the most benefits from your cochlear implant
  5. What you can expect to achieve with a cochlear implant
  6. Patients immediately after operation
  7. Initial programming session information
  8. FAQ’s



 

Slapping the booklet down Bellamy picked up the one that affected him the most, ‘pricing and waitlist.’

 

Bellamy had grown up without much and as such, had scraped and scrounged money until he had something that somewhat resembled a savings account. Years later, after working hard and finding himself a good job within a publishing company Bellamy found himself able to afford the operation and treatment.

 

But it was the waiting list that ultimately had him turning his nose up in frustration.

 

Two years.

 

Two whole years, and that was the minimum in the timeframe.

 

As his eyes flicked over the information again, warm hands reached over the couch to ran across his chest. There was paint splattered over her arms, but her hands were pristine and Bellamy caught a slight waft of soap. The ring sat gently on her third finger, carefully placed back on her hand after washing the paint away.

 

Bellamy felt her gasp against his neck, but when he turned slightly her face gave away no clue of the thoughts inside her head. Grasping gently at the papers in his lap, Clarke pulled them towards where she slouched against the back of the couch.

 

He couldn’t look at her; instead he kept his back towards her. Until Clarke had whipped around the couch and sat herself down on his lap, her fingers digging into his cheeks until he was forced to face her.

 

“Bellamy.” She was lost for words after his name, unsure of how or what to say.

 

Bellamy took a deep breath, “because I want to hear you. I want the first words I hear to be you, you telling me you love me. I want to hear you say ‘I do.’ I want you Clarke. All of you.”

 

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, “You do have all of me.”

 

Seeing that he was going to have to explain, purely so Clarke wouldn’t internalize a huge amount of guilt, Bellamy become flustered before he begun to talk. “I want to do this for you. But this is for me too.”

 

Clarke’s eyes glossed over with clear understanding, her hands grasping his. “Okay then, I guess we have a lot to look into.”  
  
The corner of his mouth twitched, “we?”

 

Her face pinched in faux anger, “Yes mister. WE. That’s what happened when you asked me to marry you. You’re now stuck with me, we do everything together.”

 

Clarke’s hands began flicking through the papers in her hands, her face displaying her intrigue and concentration.

 

Tightening his arms around her mid-section, Bellamy was rewarded with a soft smile.

 

 

-

 

This was it.

 

Bellamy’s leg moved up and down, each time the folder in his lap jumped slightly at the movement.

 

His hands were sweaty and hot; Clarke would regularly reach out and grab at his hand to give it a squeeze before returning to her task.

 

Frowning at the receptionist, Bellamy shook his head before looking once again his watch.

 

Was it requirement that all doctors ran late? Was it a conspiracy against him?

 

21 minutes, they should have seen the doctor 21 minutes ago.

 

Clarke’s hands grabbed at his hand again this time refusing to let go, she brought his hand up towards her face and gently placed a kiss on his fingers.

 

Bellamy immediately relaxed as they shared a smile, each of them linking their arms between them to hold themselves together.

 

Smiling down between them, Bellamy relaxed as they waited. Until Clarke nudged her shoulder into his to indicate his doctor was standing at his door, smiling gently at them and waiting for them to notice him.

 

Untangling himself from Clarke, they walked inside and sat down. Bellamy’s nerves that had finally began to settle, started to stir again.

 

As the slow and steady beep grew louder Bellamy’s eyes filled with tears, the sound echoed in his ear. Foreign and loud, and perfect in it’s absurdity. The doctor nodded towards Clarke, turning towards his computer as he offered the slightest amount of privacy he could.

 

Leaning forward towards his body, Bellamy shook himself off and prepared himself as best he could. Clarke eyes were tinged red and filled with tears, her lips quivered and she’d never looked more beautiful to Bellamy.

 

Her mouth opened and Bellamy’s ears were filled with loud screams and cries, emerging from the tiny buddle in Clarke’s arms.

 

It was loud and Bellamy flinched slightly before recognizing the sound for what it was.

 

His son’s screams, the tears that had threatened to fall now fell freely down his face. Looking to Clarke, they both looked shocked before Clarke giggled softly and shushed the baby in her arms.

 

The doctor begun to ask him questions probing at his ears and checking signals on his computer.

 

Despite the detraction, Bellamy’s entire focus was still bound to Clarke and the small buddle in her arms that squirmed and wriggled.

 

Bellamy decided then and there, that words were overrated. Especially first words.

 

He’d never trade his child’s screams and Clarke’s giggles for any words he’d ever heard before.

 

It was perfect.

 

 

-

 

 

And Clarke more then made up for it later that night anyway, whispering gently in the space between them. “I love you… I love you… I love you.”

 

Bellamy kept his eyes on hers, finally able to watch her blue orbs and listen to her declarations of love at the same time.

 

Only to be interrupted by his son’s shrieks, Clarke groaned but Bellamy jumped quickly from the bed. Eager to be closer to his son and the many sounds Bellamy could now hear and begin learn how to distinguish what they meant.

 

 


End file.
